


Risible - Tony's Missing Laughter

by cutsycat



Series: Dictionary.Com Word of the Day Drabbles [1362]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-10-06 08:35:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20504033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutsycat/pseuds/cutsycat
Summary: After Kate dies, Tony stops joking around and Gibbs gets worried about his partner.





	Risible - Tony's Missing Laughter

**Author's Note:**

> Another dictionary.com word of the day drabble. This time from 01/22/2003 for the word [risible](http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/2003/01/22/risible).
> 
> risible[ riz-uh-buhl ]  
adjective  
causing or capable of causing laughter; laughable; ludicrous.  
having the ability, disposition, or readiness to laugh.  
pertaining to or connected with laughing.
> 
> This is for Prompt #2 of the April 2019 Five Prompts Challenge located [here](https://ncis-discuss.livejournal.com/192065.html).

Gibbs watched Tony with concern. He was used to Tony breaking the tension with a joke or two, but instead he remained silent. This particular case was hard for everyone as it involved the death of their team mate, Kate, so Gibbs tried to let it go, but his gut was telling him that something was off with Tony.

It didn’t matter that they knew Ari was at fault. They couldn’t prove it and thus their statements were ignored by the higher ups. Gibbs gut was pinging and he knew this would come back to bite them, but he was far more worried about Tony right now.

He’d thought that Tony would perk right up, but this was their second case after Kate’s death and Tony showed no signs of cheering up. Even at home, Tony was just a little down. Gibbs had tried the usual tricks, sex, working on the boat, movies, but nothing seemed to make a difference.

Finally, Gibbs had to admit that he was out of his depth. He needed help. He needed to know how to help Tony. There was only one person that Gibbs would trust with Tony’s wellbeing.

While they were waiting to find something on their next case, Gibbs disappeared down into autopsy. “You got a moment, Duck?”

“I shall be with you shortly, Jethro. Let me just wash up.” Turning to Jimmy, Ducky murmured, “Be a good lad and run the samples up to Abby, would you?”

“Yes, Dr. Mallard,” Jimmy agreed and left the room.

Ducky quickly washed up and turned to Gibbs. “Now what can I do for you, Jethro?”

“It’s Tony, Duck.”

“What about him? Has the boy been hurt again?”

Gibbs shook his head. “No. Well not in a physical sense.”

“An emotional wound then?”

“Yeah. He’s not bouncing back like I’m used to, Ducky. I don’t know what to do.”

“Why must you do anything? He is an adult, is he not?”

“He is and a damn fine one, but I hate to see him hurting.”

Ducky nodded sagely. “He’s important to you, isn’t he, Jethro?”

Gibbs looked Ducky in the eye. “Yes.”

“Does he know this, Jethro?”

“I sure hope so,” Gibbs growled.

“Dear me, I didn’t mean to offend, Jethro.”

“I’m really worried, Ducky. He’s no longer the risible young man he was when we first met. Not even at home.”

Ducky hummed. “The most desired gift of love is not diamonds or roses or chocolate. It is focused attention. Richard Warren said that. Perhaps that is what Tony needs, right now?”

Gibbs frowned thoughtfully. “Will that be enough?”

Ducky shrugged. “Only time will tell. It certainly can’t hurt.”

Gibbs nodded and returned to the bullpen. While he was gone the team had found the key piece of evidence and they were able to get a confession and close the case. Thinking about what Ducky said, Gibbs quickly headed up the stairs to talk to the Director. 

When he returned, he announced, “Take the next couple of days off. We’ve been going hard and with the loss of Kate we all need some downtime to grieve.”

McGee glanced at Gibbs and quickly started packing his things up. Their TAD did the same. Both knew better than to question their good fortune.

“Boss?”

Gibbs shook his head slightly and mouthed not here. Tony nodded and grabbed his bag and they headed down to the parking garage together. 

“My car.” Gibbs nodded towards his vehicle.

Tony nodded and tossed his bag in the back before climbing in the front. “Where are we going, boss?”

“Not boss, Jethro.”

“Ok. Where are we going, Jethro?”

“You’ll find out.”

Gibbs had decided to try and do all the things Tony liked to do that they didn’t do very often this weekend. He was starting with a trip to one of those fancy restaurants that they rarely ate at because Gibbs hated all the frou frou stuff, but that he knew Tony would love. He didn’t tell Tony where they were going because he thought that trying to figure it out would distract Tony from whatever was bothering him. 

He was still debating what else he wanted to do to lavish attention on Tony when they pulled up at the restaurant. He was considering taking a boat out just the two of them for their time off as that way Tony would know he was the focus, but he wondered if there weren’t other activities that Tony would enjoy more. Gibbs glanced over at Tony when he didn’t say anything about the restaurant. Tony had correctly guessed where they were going a couple of blocks ago, but he had expected more of a response than he was getting. 

“Why are we here, Gibbs?” Tony asked when he noticed that Gibbs was watching him carefully now.

“I thought you would enjoy a night out of wining and dining.”

Tony frowned and Gibbs worried that he’d made the wrong choice. Apparently, whatever was bothering Tony wasn’t chased away that easily. Maybe he should give Tony a massage after this to further pamper him or maybe he was going about this all wrong. 

Gibbs didn’t know. He wished he did. He just wanted to help Tony with whatever whether that was Kate’s death or something else. Maybe what really needed to happen is they needed to talk. Gibbs hated talking, but he would do it for Tony.

They were seated in a back corner with as much privacy as one could get at a busy restaurant like this. After they placed their orders, Gibbs settled into his seat and just watched Tony. 

“What? Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Can’t a guy stare at his boyfriend whenever he likes?”

Tony scowled. “We’re in public.”

“So?”

“So what’s really going on? I know this isn’t some random anniversary because you don’t give a damn about those.”

Gibbs shrugged. That was true. “I’m worried about you. Something’s off and my gut won’t settle down. I thought a fancy dinner and maybe a massage later would help.”

Tony looked away at that, his eyes growing troubled again. 

“Tony?”

“Should we really be doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“This. Us.”

“Are you trying to break up with me?”

“No. I don’t know. Nothing feels right after Kate died. I don’t know what to think anymore. Part of me says that I should break things off with you to protect myself because I don’t think I could handle it if you died. The other part says I should embrace this relationship with everything I have because who knows when it will end.”

“Oh, Tony.” Gibbs stood up and went around to Tony’s side of the booth to gather him in his arms.

They sat like that for a while until the waiter brought their food. Tony looked up as Gibbs returned to his seat and murmured, “Can you just make it all stop, Jethro?”

Gibbs shook his head. “Sorry, Tony.”

“I keep wondering if it should have been me, you know.”

“Oh, Tony. Would it help if we went out on the boat tomorrow? Just the two of us? Nothing else? You could just be and work through this stuff.”

Tony glanced up at Gibbs. “I think I’d like that.”

“And don’t keep it all bottled up, Tony. I’m your partner. I want to share in your sorrow as well as your joy.”

“I don’t want you to worry.”

“You let me worry about that.”

Tony looked at Gibbs for a moment before nodding. They finished their night and headed home. 

“You want a massage and bed or do you want to watch a movie?” Gibbs asked as they entered their house.

“Movie.”

Gibbs nodded and pulled out blankets and some beer and candles to make it a bit more romantic. He wrapped them up in the blankets, pulling Tony close and turned on a movie. He chose one they’d both seen before, so that if Tony felt the need to talk neither of them would feel bad about missing the movie.

They didn’t talk, though. Tony remained quiet throughout the movie. Gibbs could see that he was deep in thought. He really hoped that going out on the boat would help Tony. He didn’t know what else to do.

The next morning they were up and around early in the morning and immediately on their way to the marina and a boat. Gibbs wished they could take one of the boats he’d made, but none of them were available so they were forced to take a weekender boat. It had tons of room, probably more than they actually needed, but Gibbs hoped the luxuriousness would help Tony relax.

Gibbs found a good spot to set anchor where they were away from all other adventurers on the water and they just drifted there. Gibbs focused on giving Tony as much attention as he wanted and they spent a lot of time cuddled together. The conversations weren’t always easy, but they were real and what Tony needed Gibbs hoped. 

As they returned from their time away from reality, Tony turned to Gibbs and murmured, “Thanks for this Jethro. It was just what I needed.”

“I love you, Tony.”

“I love you too, Jethro.”

**Author's Note:**

> The dictionary.com series has 2 stories already written for it after this one, so I will be posting at least 2 more stories before I stop posting again. I'm hoping to get more stories written before then, so that I don't stop posting for a while. Wish me luck! 
> 
> It's 2019 now and I have closed my 2018 Prompt collection, but fear not my 2019 Prompt Collection is now open [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/cutsycat_NCIS_Prompts_2019/profile). Just click the sign up link. ;) It will remain open until the beginning of 2020. I'm hoping to complete all the 2019 prompts by the end of 2020. Do not fear I have not forgotten about the 2018 prompts and will continue working through them. It's just easier for me to not get overwhelmed if I keep the prompts separated by the year they were given to me.
> 
> If you are not an ao3 member, you can prompt me [here](http://cutsycat.livejournal.com/50701.html). Please follow the same rules as are listed in the above link. However, because this is a handmade prompt form(that thinks it's a poll), it is considerably more limited than what ao3 provides, so please use the ao3 form if you're an ao3 member. Please note the name option is for a name that I can say this is for so that you know it's for you. Since this is for non ao3 members it won't be true gifts, but you will be mentioned in the notes. Please note if you have already voted in the poll and would like to request more stories you can just add a comment to the poll. Please include the name along with the prompt, so that I can appropriately gift the prompt to you.
> 
> For any authors that want to chat and/or are looking for a place where they can toss plot ideas around and get input from people, you can come join my discord server that is specifically geared towards writing/encouraging people to write and authors. The invite link is [here](https://discord.gg/HFvwpCq). If you're not an author, but want to chat with me about writing/stories or anything else you are welcome to join. I reserve the right to boot you from my server if all you do is pester me about updates, however. *grin* Really anyone who wants to talk about writing and/or plot ideas for various stories is welcome to join. 
> 
> Also, Drakonyashka has translated a couple of my works into Russian. [Tutelage](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12378780) and [Imbue](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12378840). Go support them. 


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